Is Bread the Enemy? Do Carbs Make You Fat?
Many of my clients limit or avoid bread.
When I curiously ask them their reasoning for not eating bread (or pasta or other starchy carbs for that matter), the response is ALWAYS the same:
“Because bread is the enemy…and carbs make you fat!”
Have you ever thought the same thing?
Are you limiting bread (or pasta or rice or other grains) because you fear they’ll make you gain weight?
You’re not alone.
But is bread *really* the enemy?
Do carbs *actually* make you fat?
Let’s see!
Have you ever noticed that we, as a culture, go through phases of what we are told is “the enemy” and what “makes you gain weight?”
A decade ago, fat was the enemy.
Remember when “Fat-Free!” was labeled on everything, from butter substitutes to cookies to even salad dressings?
Now many people embrace eating a lot of fat (hello, Keto Diet).
But bread isn’t making us fat.
So what is?
We’re not in tune with our bodies.
We’re plowing through our busy days without listening to our hunger cues.
Which means you’re absolutely ravenous by dinner time!
You feel out of control with the amount of food you’re eating, but you’re so hungry, you see red and can’t stop eating everything in sight.
Your hectic schedule makes it hard to eat at steady intervals throughout the day.
You feel tired and your energy crashes.
So you reach for candy or salty chips to give you a “pick-me-up” in the afternoon.
Pair your hectic schedule with lack of sleep, and you’re bound to experience an increase in food cravings.
When you’re tired and stressed, you crave hyper-palatable foods (high salt, high sugar), which are often processed, refined, packaged foods with minimal nutrients your body actually needs to feel better.
And speaking of stress, your body responds to stress by storing fuel as fat.
Then, that fat gets stored in your midsection.
UGH!
Now pair the stress, lack of quality sleep, energy crashes, and overriding your hunger signals until you see red and binge eat at night, with dinner portions way out of control, it’s also no wonder you don’t feel good enough to move your body.
You’re tired and feel drained.
Who has the energy to workout or exercise?
“I don’t!” Your brain tells you.
So, are carbs making you fat? Is bread the enemy when it comes to managing your weight and how you feel from the inside out?
Very likely not.
Carbs happen to be the go-to energy source for your brain and your body.
There are so many types of carbs that your brain and body get their energy from:
Fruits
Vegetables
Lentils
Beans
Peas
Whole grains (like oats, barley, amaranth, bulgur, wheat berries, etc.)
AND BREAD!
I’ve never heard a client say that veggies make them fat.
Or that lentils are to blame for their weight gain.
Or that they’re avoiding beans because “beans are the enemy!” 😉
Here’s the problem when it comes to bread:
Most bread is super processed and refined.
To make bread in the grocery store shelf-stable and last longer, a significant amount of the fiber, vitamins, and minerals are pulled out.
White bread is refined, low in fiber, low in protein, and low in nutrients.
All which can cause your blood sugar to spike.
Simple carbs are digested quickly, which makes you NOT full and NOT satisfied.
Refined and processed carbs make your blood sugar spike and then causes energy crashes…
Which then leads you to crave more of those hyper-palatable foods (candy, chips, etc.) to give you an energy boost…
Which, can we admit, taste awesome but leave you feeling worse than you did before?
What if, instead, you had whole grains, and bread made with whole grains, instead?
Here’s the solution for overcoming the myth that bread is the enemy and makes you fat:
Whole grains.
Bread made with whole grains, sprouted grains, and is “100% whole,” is a good source of:
B vitamins (which give you energy)
Folic acid (which allows your cells to divide and may reduce your risk of cancer)
Iron (to deliver oxygen throughout your body)
Magnesium (which helps regulate your blood pressure and may reduce your risk of diabetes)
Fiber
Can we talk about the importance of fiber in bread, really quickly?
It promotes a healthy gut for a healthy immune system
It slows digestion to help you feel full and satisfied
It can help stabilize blood sugar (no energy crashes!!)
It reduces your risk of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, colon cancer, and obesity
Whole wheat bread and sourdough bread has more fiber (1-2 grams more per slice), protein (3-4 grams per slice), and more nutrients, like selenium, manganese.
Bread made from sprouted gains has more fiber and nutrients (vitamin E, C, and folate) and enhances nutrient absorption.
Whole grains, in general, can reduce your risk of certain cancers, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
But here’s the KEY:
You wouldn’t want to live on bread alone, either.
As I always say, never live in the extremes.
Balance is the key to a healthy diet and healthy life.
Variety is king.
And when it comes to bread, whole grain reigns supreme.
Do you HAVE to eat bread? Would I demand that of you?
NO!
You can get healthy carbs that fuel your brain and body, with fiber that improves digestion, immunity, and your feelings of fullness, and with much-needed vitamins and minerals from other sources (fruits, veggies, beans, peas, lentils).
But should you avoid bread because it will make you fat?
NO! 😊
In fact, the world’s healthiest and longest living people eat mostly carbs (bread included)!
There are several healthy benefits from choosing a nutrient-dense bread, like helping you:
Feel full and satisfied
Ward off food cravings
Reduce energy crashes
Provide your brain and body with an efficient fuel to keep you focused, energized, and productive
What’s the best type of bread you should look for?
1. A sprouted whole wheat bread or sourdough bread from your local bakery.
Other helpful tips for choosing a healthful bread:
2. Choose one that is 100% whole grain.
How do you know if whole grain?
“Whole” is FIRST word in the ingredient list.
There are a few tricky words in the ingredient list that are NOT necessarily whole grain that you’ll want to be aware of:
Multigrain
Wheat bread
Organic flour
Bran
Wheat germ
Unbleached wheat flour
100% wheat
3. Continue reading the ingredient list
Be mindful and aware of added salt, sugars, and sugar substitutes.
A few of my favorite breads:
Ezekial Bread
Angelic Bakehouse Bread
Trader Joe’s has numerous sprouted grain breads
I also like to choose ones with nuts and seeds on the top (more protein and healthy fats!)
4. Make your own!
I love this recipe (it’s so quick and easy and comes out perfectly every time)>>
I can’t tell you how many times my husband Matthew and I made this recipe during COVID quarantine in the spring 😉
SUMMARY:
Bread is not the enemy.
Carbs do not make you fat.
What could be causing unnecessary weight gain and fat gain?
Lack of quality sleep
Lack of balance
Restriction and dieting (which always fail)
Counting calories and tracking macros
Bad habits sabotaging your progress
Lack of movement
Consistently eating sugary foods and processed foods (cake, cookies, candy, chips, etc.)
Consistently refined food (white bread, pasta with a side of garlic bread, etc.)
Energy crashes that lead to food cravings
Overriding your body’s hunger cues throughout the day
Not eating enough at steady intervals throughout the day, so you’re ravenous at night and binge eat
Not being consistent with healthy habits
Not paying attention to the quality of your food
Are you worried about your weight?
Perhaps your daily habits and systems would be a good place to start>>
